ciao! reviews
NONSUCH BREWING CO
Neighbourhood . . . . . . Exchange
Address. . . . . . 125 Pacific Ave
Phone . . . . . . . . 204-666-7824
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . . . $9-$22
Under the glow of gilded golden
umbrella lights, a luxe bohemian
utopia awaits at Nonsuch Brewing
Co. Harboured on Pacific Avenue,
this trendy theatre district hangout
has quickly become the place to be.
Inside a centuries-old factory
building, velvet couches, rustic
wooden tables and sprawling Persian
rugs set the tone. The brewery is
built on smooth pours of Belgian
brews, like a champagne-reminis-
cent Tripel and an easy-drinking
pilsner. Yes, the beer is amazing,
but it’s the addition of Chef Tyrone
Welchinski’s hyper-seasonal food
menu that has foodists flooding
through the door.
Charcuterie firmly anchors
the menu. A rotating selection of
house-cured meats are beautifully
presented on a wooden slab with
pickled veg and a generous smear
of grainy mustard. A recent spread
included a flavour-packed orange
and walnut sausage—just a taste of
things to come.
Seasonal really means ever-chang-
ing. Apart from a few mainstays,
the menu changes nearly every day,
dependant on the fresh ingredi-
ents Welchinski picks up from the
market. Each plate is visually strik-
ing, staking a claim for the title of
most photogenic food in the city.
A rainbow carrot dish stands out,
showcasing the kitchen’s ingredient-
focused philosophy. Each carrot is
charred to perfection and layered
over fresh peach slices and dabs of
sunflower butter, an imaginative
touch. Sharp blue cheese, walnuts,
fragrant dill and a subtle maple vin-
aigrette tie all the flavours together,
rendering an exciting yet sophisti-
cated dish.
Another fleeting plate left only
to dreams: tender duck with peach
glaze carved atop smoked yogurt.
Attention to detail is impressive;
red onion is sliced so fine it’s nearly
invisible, serving only to add mild
acidity to the accompanying pine
nut, peach and kale salad.
In the realm of steak tartare,
Welchinski’s rustic rendition may
just be ‘the one’. Use the house-made
salt and vinegar chips to scoop up
luscious beef dressed with capers,
dill and egg yolk.
Perhaps an ode to pub grub, “Le
Burger” is a thing of beauty. An
exceedingly juicy brisket and chuck
patty, melty cheddar, a slathering of
caramelized onions and a power-
ful hit of dill pickle aioli get stuffed
between a buttery toasted bun. Wash
it down with the suggested Baltic
porter. Perfection.
Nonsuch Brewing Co is open
Tue-Thu & Sat 4 pm-11 pm and Fri
1 pm-11 pm.
CONFUSION CORNER
Neighbourhood . . . . . . . Corydon
Address. . . . . 500 Corydon Ave
Phone . . . . . . . 204-284-6666
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . . $14-$30
Since opening in the early nough-
ties, Confusion Corner Drinks + Food
(formerly Bar and Grill) has estab-
lished itself as a cozy neighbourhood
favourite, serving crowd-pleasing
food with global perspective. Now
nearly twenty years later, this local
gastropub has had a stylish refresh,
swapping faded sports bar vibes for
sultry interiors akin to the fashion-
able lounges found in New York’s
trendiest districts.
An aquatic teal fireplace sepa-
rates the bar from the restaurant,
and granite tables, velvet seat-
ing and industrial lighting give a
contemporary feel to the exposed
brick space.
Though the interior is all shiny
and new, the menu has thankfully
remained mostly untouched. If it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it. For start-
ers, Greek calamari with tangy
house-made tzatziki is a no-brainer.
Olives and zesty cherry tomatoes
mingle with a generous heap of
crisp calamari and red onion. Next
up, an elegant plate of torched
tuna—almost too pretty to touch—
impresses. Charcoal chips play
nicely against buttery sushi-grade
tuna topped with cilantro, jalapeño
and pickled onion, adding a hit of
smokiness to refreshing flavours. A
dollop of sesame mayo gives each
bite just enough creaminess.
In step with new-school cook-
ing at contemporary watering holes,
Confusion Corner pulls inspiration
from across the globe. Menu stand-
outs meld punchy flavours from Asia
and a veggie-forward mindset infuses
new life into the phrase “bar food.”
Colourful veggies surround a
mound of coconut rice like a wreath,
attracting oohs and ahhs from around
the table. There are bold flavours to
match the pretty presentation; this
Thai cashew bowl radiates heat from
spicy peanut sauce balanced by sweet
and sticky coconut rice. Crisped
ginger beef, another veg-filled bowl,
is an unassuming standout, nailing
that perfect balance of sweet and
savoury.
All that is classic is not lost, how-
ever. A tall take on tradition sprung
from New York diners, the Reuben
sandwich blends melty Swiss cheese,
slow roasted, juicy brisket and house-
made sauerkraut between toasty
marble rye, all smothered in special
sauce. Paired with a rather large side
of well-seasoned fries (no complaints
here), it’s a shining example of simple
comfort food done right.
Confusion Corner Drinks + Food
is open Mon-Thu 11:30 am-12 am,
Fri 11:30 am-1 am, Sat 11 am-1 am
and Sun 11 am-11 pm.
ciao! / oct/nov / two thousand nineteen
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